The Western Cape’s good news: Jobs, schools, safety, investment…

The Western Cape government’s “Growth for Jobs Strategy” is being launched later this month (July 2023). Western Cape Premier Alan Winde gives a sneak preview – and details a raft of positive developments in the province. He discusses the latest plans to counter the “biggest blockage” to the economy – electricity and energy. And he tells BizNews how the province’s residents are being made safer with “boots on the ground” in murder- and crime hotspots. Meanwhile, new schools are being built fast, with one for 500 learners completed in just 65 days. Premier Winde also gives optimistic feedback on his recent trip to the United States (US) where talks were held with big investors, as well as the US Government on AGOA, amongst other matters of bilateral interest. – Chris Steyn

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Relevant timestamps from the interview

00:00 – Introductions
00:29 – Alan Winde on the Western Cape Growth for jobs strategy
09:32 – On launching the rural safety project
12:24 – On leading a delegation to the USA to further promote tourism and investment
17:42 – Conclusions

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Highlights from the interview

The Western Cape government’s “Growth for Jobs Strategy” is being launched later this month (July 2022).

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde gives BizNews a sneak preview – and details a raft of positive developments in the province.

“…From a government point of view, our job is to create an enabling environment and our job is to understand what the blockages are. So when we launch the ‘Growth for Jobs Strategy’, you’ll see the various focus points within it – and it’s about how the whole of government can enable an ecosystem for future jobs and the economy.”

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Detailing the latest plans to counter the “biggest blockage”: electricity and energy, the Premier says the province’s R1.1 billion-plan is to be “energy resilient”.

“At the moment, our province uses 4,000 megawatts. We primarily rely on coal power given to us via ESKOM sporadically. And so our plan is 5,700 megawatts private-sector driven for the majority of it renewable and green for the majority of that 5,700 megawatts as well. Why? Because of the economy.

“So our energy solution and our energy plan at the same time is gonna give us a better carbon base in which to go into market or attract people to our region and that will give us a competitive edge. So our crisis is gonna give us an opportunity to be competitive.”

As for safety being another “big blockage” to the economy, Mr Winde says: “We are still working very hard at it. But suddenly the Western Cape started putting boots on the ground and we now have 1,200 officers on the ground who are deployed using data and evidence into the murder hotspots or the crime hotspots of our region…We also are very big into violence prevention because we’ve got to do long-term investment into why crime happens and how do we invest in creating a violence-free, values-based society.”

When it comes to education which is “enabling your future economy”, the province is one of the “only regions or countries in the world” that has a catch-up program post the pandemic. “And our Education MEC has just started now with a programme: 1.2 billion put aside for catch-up in our province. On any Saturday between 10 and 20,000 learners are catching up. In the senior phases, they are doing maths, and in the junior phases, they are doing reading, so that we are preparing for the future.”

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With more and more young people coming to school in the Western Cape, the province is building more schools. “Well, we broke all the records last season. We were building a school for 500 learners in just 65 days. And we were doing a number of those.”

Premier Winde also speaks about his recent trip to the United States (US) to further promote tourism and investment – and to assure the US Government of the Western Cape”s commitment to The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)…and I’m glad to say that this week there are three national ministers in Washington following in my footsteps – and I really hope that they help us get AGOA agreements across the line.”

He says AGOA’s value in jobs for South Africa, which the predominance is in the Western Cape, is estimated at 136,621 jobs. “So it’s a lot of jobs that we don’t want to lose.”

The Premier also gives details of meetings with big foreign investors. “We had lots of meetings. It was early morning till late at night – and very, very exciting. I get really fired up because of this, but it also was driven by how we grow into this economy.

“You know, we’ve seen 148% increase just in US tourists since 2019. And that’s going through the pandemic and the recovery post the pandemic. So from foreign direct investment to tourism, to trade, the US is a really important part of our economy.”